• Regions

  INTRO

  In this section you can search for projects through regions; functions of media development; media development approaches; topics; or technologies. To find projects through regions please double click on a specific region in the drop down menu, to the right of the map, and scroll down to see the relevant projects.

  

  Select A Region Asia Europe Middle East/ North Africa Latin America Africa

• Functions of Media Development

  

  • Access to Information

    
    Access to information is a basic human right inscribed in Article 19. “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948). This right includes the right of access to information held by public bodies, and the rights of citizens to have access to a broad array of information. Digital technologies offer many opportunities to increase access to various kinds of information for large parts of society. In this respect, they can strengthen access itself as well as the amount of available information. This may include making government data publicly accessible, distributing journalistic content through Web 2.0 services, or issuing flood warnings via SMS. Show Projects

  • Holding to Account

    
    Freedom of expression and access to information is needed in order to ensure transparency and accountability within society. Holding those in power to account for what they are doing in office has become one of the central functions of traditional media. Ideally, this can help to improve governance in society. By supporting local actors in strengthening the right of access to information, media development organizations are also helping build up tools to demand more accountability. With the rise of digital technologies, this function is no longer limited to traditional media. Digital technologies can make large sets of government data available online. They can also channel public protest against corruption or other forms of bad governance. At the same time, digital technologies have created new ways to criticize and control governments. Whistleblowers find access to large audiences through websites like Wikileaks. Investigative journalists can cooperate internationally in analyzing data. Show Projects

  • Creating a Public Sphere

    
    Freedom of expression requires a public sphere in which opinions can actually be expressed. Article 19 differentiates between the freedom to hold opinions and the freedom to express these opinions. This includes “the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds” and “every form of idea and opinion capable of transmission to others, political discourse, commentary on one’s own and on public affairs.” (United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 2011) The “forum” in which information and ideas are sought, imparted and received is the public sphere. By creating a public sphere the media can make sure that the people’s voice can actually be heard. With regard to the human rights approach, information concerning the actions and decision-making processes of governments are of special importance. Digital technologies are certainly altering the understanding of the public sphere. The proliferation of the Internet and mobile devices has definitely changed the way people interact with each other. They also help bridge the traditional divide between publishing and communication within the media landscape. Social media content can be both peer-to-peer communication between two users and published content for a bigger audience. Audiences can engage in the production of media content. They can gather information, process and analyze, as well as publish it. But the question, to what extent digital technologies actually help to empower people to act in the public sphere is heavily contested. Show Projects

  • Supporting Participation & Inclusion

    
    It is extremely important that within the public sphere every voice has an opportunity to be heard. This is especially vital with regard to minorities and disadvantaged groups. The media, therefore, have the function of supporting participation and inclusion and of making sure all groups of society can engage in public discourse. Enhancing inclusiveness of society is a central aim of development work. Supporting participation and inclusion has to be pursued if all citizens are to exert their rights to freedom of expression and access to information. However, the mere fact that digital technologies make it possible for a much larger share of the population to publish opinions and talk about their concerns does not mean those people are actually participating in an inclusive debate within society. In the pre-digital age, traditional media in the service of the public were the main partners media development organizations supported in order to strengthen this function. However, in reality, many traditional media outlets act as mouthpieces of their masters. Various groups in society do not find their issues addressed by them. Traditional media institutions are criticized for having an “institutional bias.” Even if they strive for impartiality, they tend to align their “beats” with the main institutions of the state and what happens inside these institutions has a much better chance of being reported than equally important issues occurring outside. It is also commonly argued that disadvantaged groups and minorities do not find their issues represented in mainstream media or issues relevant for a large share of society are not addressed. Show Projects

• Approaches

  

  • Crowdsourcing

    
    Crowdsourcing is when a project collects and collates information from a large group of people in the form of an open call. These people or crowds, as the name suggests, are normally people actively engaged within the subject matter or are witnesses to an event. Getting information from a crowd has both positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, it enables newsroom and media agents to receive large quantities of information quickly and cheaply. On the other, this information is predominately raw, unedited and unchecked, which means that it often needs to be verified and edited. With much more information coming in through crowdsourcing, media outlets are inundated with data to process. This can be overwhelming and in many cases it becomes difficult to differentiate. Media need to ensure that they have enough staff or volunteers to check and verify this data before engaging fully in this technique. Show Projects

  • Open Data

    
    Open data is data that is freely accessible and not costly to access. Open data is a way for organizations or state institutions/authorities to share information to a wide number of people across diverse landscapes and is ideal for ensuring social participation and inclusion as there is no restriction to access. This information is also free for citizens or media outlets to use, reuse, process, analyze and redistribute and is not restricted by copyrights or patents. Show Projects

  • Databases

    
    Databases are organized collections of information that provide a user with a logical and systematic way to store and retrieve data. Databases are basically large electronic repositories that facilitate the easy storing and searching of information. They offer access to many people simultaneously. How a database is configured is decided by the needs and desires of the producers and users. Therefore databases can be designed to meet varying requirements. Show Projects

  • Visualization

    
    Visualization is the use of graphics to present data in a more user-friendly and understandable manner. Visualization can take the form of diagrams (charts, graphs and matrices), images or animations. It is a good way of breaking down complex information sets to facilitate easier analysis and of illustrating connections and relationships between datasets. It provides the reader with an image rather than words to convey a message. Show Projects

  • Software Tools

    
    Software tools are computer programs that are used to create, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications. These are used by media organizations in order to share information on a specific platform. For example, software tools are used as a platform for receiving information from audiences in order to share infographics or datasets. A software tool is able to take the information gathered and represent it in a specific way based on the applications design. It simply means that instead of a person manually interpreting data and producing chart or graphs the software tool is programmed to do this automatically. Show Projects

  • Monitoring

    
    Monitoring is the process of observing a specific situation, controlled environment or series of events to determine any changes over time using predetermined measuring tools. A situation is monitored for changes in certain attributes which are relevant to the implementer of the monitoring activity. For example media organizations can monitor press freedom in a country based on past and present indicators determined at an independent level. This enables situations to be analyzed in context and over time but also to be compared and considered at a macro level. Show Projects

  • Mapping

    
    Mapping is the visual depiction of information on a map. The map is predominately a geographical representation but it can also be used to depict time or ideas. Media organizations use mapping to illustrate location-specific events and provide the audience with a visual picture of the situation. Mapping is another way to combine datasets in order to show information in an easy and more userfriendly manner. Show Projects

  • Storytelling

    
    Storytelling is the art of imparting information in an easy to understand and logical manner. It brings together a variety of information woven into an interesting and often thought-provoking message, in the form of a well-researched story. It enables the author to not only share important facts but to grasp the audience’s attention by providing context, personal experience and insight to the information as well. This is a good way for media organizations to reach a large audience and for information and ideas to be shared openly. Show Projects

  • Audio News

    
    Audio news is information that reaches audiences in an oral rather than written form. This is a crucial tool for reaching a wide variety of people. The most common example of audio news is the wireless but also growing in popularity are podcasts, audio books and magazines, and mobile phone radio apps. Audio is a vital technique for reaching busy people on the go, commuters, but also those who cannot read or have no access to newspapers or the Internet (due to financial or infrastructural limitations). Audio devices are often on in the background as people go about their daily lives and they are accessing and consuming this information even if it isn’t with full attention. Show Projects

  • Independent Journalism

    
    Independent journalism is journalism that is free from any outside influence. This influence could take the form of business, political or governmental control or bias. Journalists that carry out independent journalism often work for non-governmental organizations or businesses and are committed to ensuring the ethical and truthful dissemination of information. Independent journalism is considered a fundamental component of a democratic society and is vital in a digital age where so much information is available and impartial verification and authentication is paramount. Show Projects

  • Citizen Journalism

    
    Citizen journalism means local people are involved in the process of collecting, collating, reporting and sharing information and news. It is considered an alternative form of media that offers the chance for more local stories to be shared and heard. On the other hand, citizen journalists do not necessarily work according to professional journalistic standards such as factual accuracy or impartiality. With the rise of social media, citizen journalism has become an integral component of the media landscape, and more and more media organizations are utilizing this to train members of the public in these activities as well as in basic journalistic skills and behavior. Show Projects

  • Blogs

    
    Blogs are online opinion sites where information is shared normally by one individual on an open website. Readers are able to comment on the posts and these create some form of discussion. Posts are individual articles that are visible on the blog. Blogs are normally presented in a chronological manner with the most recent posts being first. Activists, experts, enthusiasts and the general public use blogs as platforms to share ideas, opinions and information on a variety of subjects. They are an easy and cheap way to engage with the public and to reach a broad audience. Show Projects

  • Fact-Checking

    
    Fact checking is the process of checking factual assertions made in the public sphere. In this context we are referring to statements, interviews and publications that have been produced of a non-fiction nature. Some media organizations are able to dedicate teams to check and verify the factual accuracy of political, social and academic texts and statements. This provides society not only with a watchdog initiative but could also make producers of information more careful about the accuracy of their statements and the audience more discerning of what information to accept. Show Projects

• Topics

  

  • Corruption

    
    Corruption is the practice of unethical or fraudulent activities by a person in power or holding authority. It is present in varying degrees in all societies and is commonly related to money, with different forms comprising: bribery, embezzlement and extortion. There are varying degrees of corruption within society and these range from petty corruption (often small scale e.g. receiving of undeclared gifts within a professional environment), to grand corruption (large scale corruption at the highest political level) and systemic corruption (where weaknesses in institutional organizations enable and/or facilitate individuals working for private gain). Systemic corruption is the most detrimental and the biggest challenge to ensuring societal change. Corruption can occur in any type of community or organization and is not limited to government institutions. Media projects that embark on raising awareness of and challenging corrupt practices have varying approaches. There is often an advocacy and awareness-raising element, but they are often also heavily focused on ensuring access to information and creating a public sphere. Activities can range from monitoring earmarked funds for rural communities to ensure that the money is correctly disbursed, to raising awareness about bribery and corruption within government departments. This can be achieved through activities such as releasing government files, enabling civil society to analyze their details and identify areas of systemic malpractice, or to collecting and releasing data on incidents of bribery within a community. To find out more from projects that are tackling corruption, click here. Show Projects

  • Violence

    
    Violence comes in numerous forms and is defined by the World Report on Violence and Health, WHO 2002, as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation." It is therefore clear that violence is not restricted to physical acts and can also be sexual, psychological and emotional. It also ranges from self-inflicted/self-determined violence (suicide, self harm), to interpersonal violence (normally between individuals- domestic violence, assault, child abuse) and collective violence (between larger groups in society- terrorism, warfare). As you can see, this topic has a wide scope and media projects that are engaged in this issue are dealing with a plethora of sensitive information with a large remit. Such projects can range from documenting and mapping massacres that have occurred during the Colombian civil war, to mapping sexual harassment and assault in Egypt. There can also be awareness-raising campaigns in order to change behavior and societies’ attitude towards violence. This is especially the case for domestic violence, sexual violence, psychological violence and emotional violence where society often turns a blind eye or doesn’t fully understand the issues because they are less tangible than physical violence. Also, sharing information on violence and getting discussions going within communities is vital to challenging the situation and holding perpetrators to account. To find out more from projects that are tackling issues relating to violence click here. Show Projects

  • Healthcare

    
    Healthcare is the provision of medical services and care, such as hospitals and clinics, for the physical and psychological wellbeing of individuals and communities. Healthcare issues can range from a lack of adequate services and subsequently access, to corruption within the system and discrimination within the provision of healthcare. It is common that the most vulnerable in society are often the most badly affected by inefficient, insufficient and inadequate health services. In some cases, individuals are excluded entirely or treated differently which is against fundamental human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the right to health as a social, economic and cultural right. Media projects which adopt healthcare issues can run community phone-in radio shows, monitoring the situation, availability and access to medication in health clinics, or train citizen journalists to report on the health issues in their areas or simply call for transparency in health service provisions, raising awareness about citizen’s rights with regard to healthcare and providing access to information regarding the efficiency of these services. To find out more from projects that are tackling issues surrounding the provision of healthcare, click here. Show Projects

  • Environment

    
    The environment is a vast topic that covers everything from the air we breathe, to the land we reap and the water we drink. Environmental issues tend to be problems that have arisen, or are arising, due to manmade influences or activities. It looks at the knock-on effect of human activity on land and air quality, species diversity and the ecosystem as a whole. This can range from global warming, to water pollution and deforestation. From a media development perspective it raises issues predominantly of access to information, supporting participation and inclusion and holding to account. Media projects that focus on environmental issues are often also involved in advocacy activities to raise awareness about a given situation. These can also range from mapping and visualizations of where illegal, or legal, environmental degradation is occurring, data release on deforestation or water pollution in certain areas, to using drones to collect footage of illegal poaching and raise awareness about animal conservation issues. To find out more from projects that are tackling environmental issues, click here. Show Projects

  • Community Empowerment

    
    Community empowerment is when the members of a community are given the information, skills and tools to improve their own situations. It is when communities and individuals are provided with the opportunities to take control of decisions that affect them, are able to represent their own interests and have the power to determine and achieve their own goals. Community empowerment brings together providing access to information, supporting participation and inclusion and creating a public sphere to enable communities to be collaborative, self-influencing and effective advocates for their own development. Media projects that are engaging in activities to ensure and improve community empowerment range from community radio stations covering local issues, an audio news portal where local people provide the news and raise grievances through their mobile phones, to tracking government funds earmarked to rural communities and raising awareness at the local level on what their rights are to the money. To find out more from projects that are tackling community empowerment issues click here. Show Projects

  • Transparency

    
    Transparency is based on openness and at its core is access to quality information. It requires that decision-making processes be clear and open, and that society and individuals have access to this data. It is focused on ensuring that information is easy to find, understand and question. This can be in the form of freedom of information and is often used to hold those in power accountable. Projects that are attempting to improve transparency within society are often looking at political processes, decision-making and business connections. However, it is worth noting that transparency activities are not limited to politics and are evident in all corners of society as people demand accountability and higher integrity within information sharing processes. Issues that are commonly raised through transparency activities are those associated with money, relationships and connections, and communications. In order to be more transparent, companies, governments and individuals are asked to be more accurate in their communications and to provide full disclosure on their activities and interests. Examples can range from freeing access to government expense accounts, highlighting conflicts of interest based on personal connections between high-profile business people and politicians, to checking the factual statements of public figures. To find out more from projects that are tackling transparency issues, click here. Show Projects

• Technologies

  

  • Social Media

    
    Social media is the general term used to describe the plethora of web-based applications that allow people to create, share, and exchange information, opinions and ideas in virtual communities. Social media use the Internet and mobile technologies to create highly interactive platforms where individuals and communities share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content. They are a cheap, easy-to-use way for people to access and share information. Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are all good examples of social media applications that are widely accessible with a global reach that enable large-scale collaboration and sharing of information. However, it is necessary to be mindful of the dangers of using social media as well. Social media conjure up many different types of data security and access to information issues. These platforms are run by businesses after all, and the data that is provided in these applications is no longer private, and can become compromised. There is also the contentious situation of social media platforms, such as Facebook, becoming the avenue for access to the Internet in the Global South and calls into question how free and impartial access to information will become. Media projects can use social media to reach current and potential audiences. They can also use it to collect and collate data, to crowdsource information and to develop platforms for discussions on certain topics. Social media can also be used as an advocacy and lobbying tool to raise awareness amongst the general public on a a specific issue. What is vital is ensuring that you have carried out enough audience research to know which platforms (if any) they are using. Show Projects

  • YouTube

    
    YouTube and Soundcloud are online websites that enable people to upload and share videos for free. They are used by a variety of businesses, artists, experts and organizations to disseminate ideas and information to a wide audience. They are a great way for media projects to have a global reach, to advance advocacy and to distribute video content. Interviews, animations, and films help engage people and share ideas. Nevertheless, they also bring up the data security issues mentioned under social media. Show Projects

  • Mobile Phones

    
    Mobile phones have been around for decades and new advancements with the smartphone support a variety of additional services, such as email, Internet access, business, news, social and game applications, and photography. Smartphones have revolutionized the way people interact with one another and have enabled people across the world to become connected; however, mobile phones are still just as effective in reaching a wide audience. This has been especially true in the Global South where rural communities and the poor now have access to cheap mobile phones and coverage that far exceeds that of landlines. For media projects the range of possibilities that mobile phones and smartphones provide is endless. They are a quick and cheap way to reach a wide range and remote group of people. With over 6 billion people owning mobile phones this is a key technology for reaching people, sharing information and ensuring that marginalized groups are part of information exchanges and discussions that affect them. It is worth noting that mobile phones and smartphones help reach different audiences in the Global South. Whilst mobile phones are good for reaching the poor, especially in rural areas, smartphones are better used to address the urban educated middle class. Show Projects

  • Tablets

    
    Tablet computers are compact mobile computers that are interactive with touchscreens and have capabilities such as inbuilt cameras and microphones which make them ideal for roving reporters and journalists who are capturing stories on the go. Modern tablet computers are high specification and the sound and picture quality are generally excellent. Tablet computers are much cheaper than laptop computers, easier to transport and with a longer battery life. They are therefore a useful technology in the Global South where electricity can often be sporadic. Show Projects

  • Ushahidi

    
    Ushahidi is open source software from Kenya that enables users to collect information and then visualize or map it. It was developed as a way to map post election violence in 2008. The software uses crowdsourcing to collect information (normally of a socially relevant nature) to call for public accountability, and enables the combination of social activism, citizen journalism and geospatial information. Ushahidi enables people to submit reports (using their mobile phones or online) while simultaneously creating a map of what is being reported. This is a useful tool for projects pursuing access to information and freedom of expression agendas, because it provides a platform for sharing publicly important information in a visual way and raising awareness within a specific context. Show Projects

  • Online Databases

    
    Online databases are Internet-based, organized collections of information that provide users with a logical and systematic way to store and retrieve data. Good online databases are basically large electronic libraries that facilitate the easy storing, searching and adding of information online. They also make data accessible to many people simultaneously. How a database is configured is decided by the needs and desires of the producers and users and therefore databases can be designed to meet varying requirements. These are a good way for data checking to be organized and managed by media projects. especially using crowdsourcing. Show Projects

  • Camera Equipment

    
    Using digital camera equipment to capture still and video footage enables this footage to be instantly checked and wirelessly uploaded to the Internet, providing smooth and quick reporting. This has the additional benefit of enabling the footage to be uploaded before security or police can seize the equipment. Sharing information in a visual form is a key tool for media and is not something new. The new opportunities arising with digital camera equipment are twofold. The quality of the images being captured by new camera technology is improving all the time and what we are able to capture is also expanding. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) are now able to carry cameras and shoot unprecedented footage from the air, giving audiences a chance to see their world in a completely new way. Show Projects

  • Audio Portals

    
    An audio portal is a software platform that enables users to leave and receive audio messages in a simple and easy way. They can be reached through the use of mobile phones and are an excellent option for gathering and sharing information with remote communities and illiterate groups where radio is not an option. Show Projects

  • Websites

    
    Online websites may not be new but the way that they are being used to reach wider demographics and new audiences can definitely be considered innovative. They give organizations and businesses a strong creative platform from which to represent themselves, their ethos and their work to the world. They are an effective and efficient way to present ideas, and collect, collate, analyze, share and publish information in a global context. Show Projects

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